by Mouse
Tonglong ordered Lei and ShaoShu into his private cabin, and he took a seat behind his writing desk.
“Start talking, ShaoShu,” Tonglong said. “Last I knew, Lei was questioning your loyalty and you were tied up in the hold. How did you escape?”
ShaoShu explained how his mouse had chewed through his ropes and how he untied LoBak when the battle began, because LoBak had said that they needed to go onto the deck in case the boat sank. ShaoShu then told how LoBak leaped overboard in the thick smoke of the warship's cannons to escape and how he chased after LoBak in order to report back to Lei what LoBak was up to. ShaoShu said that he saw LoBak climb onto the Round Eye's ship and begin talking with a girl and a teenager with a tattooed face when the three of them were killed by a wave of cannon blasts. ShaoShu finished the story by holding out the jade crane. “I climbed onto the Round Eye's boat to see if LoBak really was dead. I took this from the dead girl.”
Tonglong didn't look convinced. He took the crane and stared at it intently. “Why did you bring me this?”
“I actually took it for myself, sir. I like it. It's shiny. But you can have it, if you want.”
Tonglong's eyes narrowed. “Do you know the name Hok?”
“I know the word, sir. It's a bird. A crane, like the one in your hand.”
“What about Ying?”
“Eagle, sir? I don't believe I've ever seen an eagle.”
Tonglong shook his head. “What did the teenager's tattooed face look like?”
“Kind of like a dragon, sir. It was hard to see with all the smoke.”
“Hmm,” Tonglong said. “You didn't intentionally help LoBak escape, did you, ShaoShu?”
ShaoShu shook his head.
“With all due respect, sir,” Lei said, “I would like to say that I no longer question ShaoShu's intentions. I know I had my suspicions, but he has recently proven himself to me. He saved my life and quite possibly yours, too.”
“How so?” Tonglong asked.
“The Round Eyes who came over in the small boat—one of them nearly succeeded in taking my life with his sword, and being unconscious, you would surely have been next. ShaoShu warned me, giving me time to kill the foreigner.”
Tonglong gently touched the side of his powder-burned face and glared at ShaoShu. He sat back with the jade crane and reached for the cord that he'd been wearing around his own neck. When his fingers came up empty, he leaped to his feet, shouting, “My necklace! My key! It's gone!” He slammed his fist on the desk and scowled at ShaoShu and Lei.
Lei lowered his eyes. “With the utmost respect, sir, I do not know why you are glaring at me. I am not the thief in this room. I don't even know what key you're talking about.”
ShaoShu opened his mouth to object but quickly closed it again when he saw Lei discreetly form a pretend pistol behind his back and shoot him.
“Do you have something to say for yourself, Shao Shu?” Tonglong snapped.
“I was just going to ask if you wanted me to go look for it on the deck, sir,” ShaoShu said. “Maybe the flames that burned your collar also burned the cord that held the key.”
Tonglong paused, considering something. “That is a good idea, ShaoShu. Lei, spread the word among the men that I have lost a key. Offer a reward, then make preparations to set sail. The fight club championship is in two and a half days, and it will take us two full days to get there with the damage we have sustained. You don't want to miss your big chance to win it all, do you?”
“No, sir!” Lei said. “I'll get right to it.” He bowed and hurried out of the room.
Tonglong stared hard at ShaoShu, and ShaoShu did his best to hold Tonglong's gaze. Never back down from a bully, he thought.
Tonglong pursed his lips. “I believe you, ShaoShu. If I ever question your loyalty, I will not tie you up in the hold. I will kill you. You know that, don't you?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good.” Tonglong rubbed the side of his powder-burned face again and glanced at the spot where Lei had stood.
“When we arrive in Shanghai, I may have another job for you.”
CHAPTER
21
Two days later, ShaoShu stepped onto the docks of Shanghai's wharf with mixed emotions. He was happy that he was in Tonglong's good graces and glad that he'd been able to steer clear of Lei since the attack, but he was sad that he had been separated from his friends once again. Perhaps he would make a new friend today in Golden Dragon. Tonglong wanted him to run an errand at the Shanghai Fight Club, and he hoped to be able to sneak away for a few moments and find Hok's older temple brother.
ShaoShu walked calmly away from the ship, and once he was out of sight of the deck, he raced through Shanghai's crowded streets at a dead run, following the directions Tonglong had given him. He arrived at the fight club far sooner than anyone would have anticipated, and he planned to make the most of the extra time. His errand shouldn't take long at all—just to pick up some event posters—so every moment counted.
For years, ShaoShu had wanted to see inside a fight club, and after showing the guards at the front door a letter from Tonglong, he nearly squealed with delight when he stepped inside this one. It far exceeded his expectations.
The gigantic windowless space was perfectly round, with a floor that sloped steadily downward toward the circular pit arena at the room's very center. The fights wouldn't begin until that night, but already the club was alive with activity. Workers brushed final coats of fresh whitewash on the brilliant stone walls, and an army of carpenters swarmed the tiered seating levels, polishing the hundreds of tables and thousands of chairs until the shiny black lacquer was mirror smooth. Ornate tapestries hung from the ceiling rafters, and lanterns made of gold flickered from every direction on the walls. Of all the fight clubs in China, he had heard that Shanghai's was the most grand, and he believed it.
ShaoShu couldn't resist puffing out his chest and walking down one of the sloped aisles like an important person, traveling all the way to the edge of the pit arena. He leaned over the elaborate railing and peered down, and his already wide eyes nearly popped out of his head. It was far bigger and deeper than he'd imagined. The widest part of the circular pit was roughly fifty paces across, and the brick walls lining it stood higher than four men standing atop each other. The floor was made of compacted dirt, and there was a single large wooden door that Tonglong had told him led to a series of tunnels beneath the fight club. That door was the only way into or out of the pit, and those tunnels were his current destination.
ShaoShu looked around, trying to figure out how to access the tunnels without jumping down into the pit, when the pit entry door swung open and someone entered the pit arena. It was Golden Dragon. ShaoShu recognized him from the posters plastered up and down Shanghai's streets. He had short black hair and a kind face, and he looked much younger in person than he did in the posters. His body, however, looked like it belonged on someone else entirely. He was shirtless, and taut muscles rippled across his shoulders and chest. He was wearing standard-issue silk army pants like Tonglong's soldiers, but his thick thighs and calves threatened to burst the seams with every step he took.
A second person entered the pit arena and closed the door behind him. This man was several years older than Golden Dragon, and larger. Where Golden Dragon was lean solid muscle, this man was burly. His forearms were larger than ShaoShu's thighs.
Both Golden Dragon and the big man began to stretch as though warming up for exercise. ShaoShu was more flexible than anybody he had ever met, but Golden Dragon impressed him. He stood on one leg with his back straight and lifted his other leg high into the air with both knees locked. His legs were in a perfectly straight line, up and down, with one heel on the ground and the other heel pointed at the sky. That took not only flexibility, but also tremendous strength. ShaoShu couldn't even do it.
After some more impressive moves of flexibility and strength, Golden Dragon looked at the man and said, “Let's roll.”
“Remember
to take it easy on me,” the big man replied. “We're just warming up for tonight.”
Golden Dragon nodded, then bowed. The man returned the bow, and they began to grapple.
ShaoShu took a seat next to the pit arena railing. Even though he was in a hurry, he wouldn't miss this for the world.
Within moments, it became clear that Golden Dragon, while smaller, was far superior. His fluid style and lightning-quick moves continuously left his opponent grasping at nothing but shadows. Golden Dragon soon seemed to grow bored, and in the blink of an eye, he slipped behind his opponent, jumped onto the man's back, and wrapped his legs around his midsection. Then he slid his right arm around in front of the man's neck, grasped his own right wrist with his left hand, and leaned backward.
The man choked loudly as Golden Dragon's elbow aligned with his Adam's apple, and then Golden Dragon bent his arm so that his elbow moved away from the big man's throat. The big man stopped choking, but to ShaoShu's surprise, his face turned bright red and then purple, and an instant later, his eyes rolled back into his head and his body went limp.
Golden Dragon quickly dropped to his feet, supporting the much larger man and gently laying his opponent down on the pit arena floor. He checked the man's pulse.
ShaoShu stood and began to clap. “That was great! Is he dead?”
Golden Dragon looked up at him. “No, he's not dead. He's unconscious. Who are you?”
ShaoShu glanced around to make sure none of the workers were close. He leaned over the pit arena railing and said in a low whisper, “My name is ShaoShu, and I am friends with Hok, Fu, and Malao. I have a message for you.”
Golden Dragon's eyebrows rose up. He scanned the fight club, too. “Come down here so we can talk.”
“Me? How?”
“Jump.”
“What?”
“Just jump,” Golden Dragon said in an impatient tone. “I'll catch you. Try to lie down in the air as you fall.”
ShaoShu looked around again and caught one of the workers staring at him. Before anyone could stop him, he swung his legs over the railing and launched himself toward Golden Dragon as though he were flopping onto a bed on his back.
Golden Dragon caught him with ease, setting him onto his feet.
“Well done,” Golden Dragon said.
“Thanks,” ShaoShu replied. He nodded toward the unconscious man, still lying on the pit arena floor. “Is it safe to talk here?”
“Safer than most places in this building. There are guards everywhere, but none of them would dare come into the pit with me. Don't worry about my friend here, either. It will be a while before he regains consciousness.”
ShaoShu grinned. He liked Golden Dragon.
“What is this message you're talking about?” Golden Dragon asked.
“Well, first of all, Hok told me to tell you that—”
Golden Dragon's body suddenly went rigid, and he held up a callused hand.
“What is it?” ShaoShu whispered.
“Shhh,” Golden Dragon said. “Someone is coming. Someone bad. Keep quiet, and let me do the talking.”
ShaoShu listened and soon heard footsteps on the opposite side of the pit arena door. A huge brown face filled a little window in the door, and the door swung inward, into the tunnel. A petite woman wearing a large black silk hood glided into the pit. The gigantic man whose big brown face had been in the window remained in the doorway, his massive arms folded.
Golden Dragon bowed, and the woman asked, “Who are you?”
When Golden Dragon didn't answer, ShaoShu realized that she was talking to him. He was about to reply when Golden Dragon spoke first. “He is my ring boy.”
“Your what?”
“My ring boy,” Golden Dragon said. “He is responsible for assisting me tonight. He will carry my water, my towels, my—”
“Look at me, child,” the woman interrupted. She stepped closer to ShaoShu and pushed back her hood to reveal a beautiful face and long, luxurious hair. Her black eyes shone bright, and she stared deeply into ShaoShu's eyes.
ShaoShu suddenly felt light-headed, and the room began to spin. He tried to look away, but for some reason he could not unlock his eyes from hers.
“Do you know who I am?” the woman asked.
ShaoShu shook his head.
“I am AnGangseh. General Tonglong, the new Sssouthern Warlord, is my ssson. I believe you know him.”
ShaoShu nodded.
“What are you doing here?”
ShaoShu felt himself beginning to answer, even though he didn't want to. Words started to form in his mouth, and Golden Dragon slapped him on the back, bringing him back to his senses. He looked away, shaking his head to clear it.
“I asked what you are doing here,” AnGangseh repeated.
“Your question was already answered, gracious lady,” Golden Dragon said. “He is helping me. If you'll pardon us, we have work to do before tonight's event.”
“You will answer my questions until I am sssatis-fied!” AnGangseh hissed, turning to the huge man in the doorway. “Isn't that right?”
The big man nodded.
ShaoShu cleared his throat. “My name is ShaoShu, miss. I work for your son. I came here to pick up some posters for tonight's event, and I met Golden Dragon. He asked me to help him.”
AnGangseh flicked a piece of white hair from the hem of her black robe. “Golden Dragon's opponent tonight is a young man called Lei, who is now my ssson's commander in this region. I find it odd that you work for Tonglong, but you are going to help Golden Dragon.”
“If Lei had asked me to help him, I would have. But he didn't. Golden Dragon did. I had to say yes. This is the most exciting thing to ever happen to me!”
“Leave the kid alone,” said the huge man in the door way. “He's answered your questions. We have more important things to do.”
AnGangseh turned toward the man. “You will provide your opinion only when it's asked for, Xie. I have reason to be sssuspicious of Golden Dragon and anyone connected with him.” She looked back at Golden Dragon. “Tell me about Cangzhen Temple.”
“I don't know what you're talking about,” Golden Dragon replied.
“I think you do,” AnGangseh said. “I believe your real name is Long and that you are a fugitive. All Cangzhen monks have been deemed enemies of the ssstate. What do you have to sssay to that?”
“Nothing,” Golden Dragon said.
“Of course not,” AnGangseh snapped. “Let me leave you with this bit of information, then. My ssson has your precious dragon ssscrolls. He no longer has use for them, ssso I am going to burn them. Better yet, maybe I'll ssslice them into little sheets for Tonglong's sssoldiers to use in the latrine.”
Golden Dragon's jaw tightened noticeably, and AnGangseh laughed.
“I knew it!” she said. “You are Long! Wait until I tell Tonglong.”
Xie took a step into the pit arena, glaring at Golden Dragon, daring him with his eyes to make a move.
“Never mind, Xie,” AnGangseh said. “After tonight, it won't matter. Lei is going to kill him. Make sure he doesn't leave the fight club.”
“I am not going anywhere,” Golden Dragon said. “And I resent your accusations. We can discuss this further after tonight's bout. Right now, I need to complete my preparations. ShaoShu, come with me.”
Golden Dragon walked past AnGangseh and Xie with his head held high, and ShaoShu followed him into the tunnels. After several twists and turns through the torch-lit corridors, they reached a room containing stacks of event posters.
“This is what you've come for,” Golden Dragon said. “Now is not a good time to talk. Take your posters back to Tonglong and return here in two hours. Tell the guards you are my ring boy. They will be expecting you. Meet me near the pit arena again, and I'll take you someplace private so that you can tell me about Hok and the others. After that, I will tell you what you need to do to help me tonight.”
“I'll do my best to return tonight,” ShaoShu said, “but Tonglon
g might not let me do it. I am sorry things turned out this way for you.”
“No need to be sorry. People were bound to find out eventually. I'll just have to think carefully about how I am going to handle things after I win.”
“You really think you're going to beat Lei?”
“I don't have a choice, do I?”
“I guess not. Is there anything I can do?”
Golden Dragon shook his head. “I've gotten this far alone. I'll finish it alone. Maybe afterward I'll join up with Hok and the others. I had other plans, but they're of no use now.” He looked around and pointed farther down the tunnel. “To exit, walk in that direction until you come to a fork. Keep to the right, and you will soon find a door that leads outside. Hope fully, I will see you in two hours.” He gave ShaoShu a slight bow and walked off.
ShaoShu grabbed an armload of posters and left, following Golden Dragon's directions. He hurried back to Tonglong's ship and found Tonglong alone in his cabin.
“You're back at last,” Tonglong said from behind his writing desk. “I was beginning to worry about you.”
“I met Golden Dragon!” ShaoShu said excitedly, placing the posters in a neat stack on the floor. “He asked me to be his ring boy tonight! Can I do it, sir? Please?”
Tonglong folded his hands upon his desk. “How do you think Lei will feel about it?”
ShaoShu kicked at a ball of cat hair that drifted past. He shrugged.
“You don't like him very much, do you?”
ShaoShu shook his head.
“Why not?”
ShaoShu considered saying that Lei was a liar and a thief and that he was the one who stole Tonglong's key. However, he decided not to. Tonglong might not believe him, and then Lei would surely kill him. Instead, ShaoShu lowered his voice and said, “He scares me, sir.”
“No need to worry about him right now,” Tong long replied. “He's at the fight club, preparing for tonight's bout. How is it that Golden Dragon asked for your assistance?”
